The Billionaire’s Secret Bride

Nathaniel's sharp features darkened as he snapped,"Celia, do you believe I won't shut that mouth of yours myself?"

Yvonne, who was eavesdropping at the door, lit up with curiosity and jumped in without hesitation:"Uncle! What exactly were you going to use to shut her mouth? I have every reason to believe you're crossing a line!"

Celia: "…"

"Yvonne, a good child talks less nonsense. That's not what your uncle meant!"

Nathaniel said nothing more, but the storm in his eyes clearly showed that Celia had almost crossed a line he wouldn't forgive.

Celia immediately admitted defeat."Mr. Fu, I was wrong. Really. I'll behave. I swear it won't happen again."

Nathaniel let out a low scoff, then turned with a sweep of his coat and walked off.

As soon as he left, Yvonne threw herself over dramatically,"Celia, I totally threw you under the bus just now. I had to! If my uncle found out, he'd tell my parents—and then I'd be grounded for life!"

Celia wasn't in the mood to joke. She gathered her books to leave.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" Yvonne clung to her arm, trying to win her back. "How about this—pick any guy from the roster, and I'll send you a pic of his abs."

"…No thanks."

"You're still not tempted? That can't be right. These are top-tier guys—although, fine, none of them are quite as premium as my uncle... Wait, Celia, do you actually like my uncle? Should I secretly take an ab shot of him for you?"

Celia's entire soul nearly left her body."Yvonne! Are you trying to kill me?! I don't want it!"

She stormed off in a flustered mess.

Yvonne tilted her head in understanding.So it's true... Celia likes Uncle Nathaniel.

Well, she had great taste.

No problem—those abs? I'll get her the photo.

The Next Morning

Celia got up early and went straight to the villa's backyard, which she had carefully transformed into a greenhouse.

That was the real reason she had chosen to live here.

Yipinlan Villa had incredible feng shui, ideal for nurturing rare and spiritual plants. She had originally tried to acquire this property, but it turned out to be owned by the Fu family. She hadn't been able to secure it.

So, when her good friend Yvonne invited her to live here, Celia hadn't hesitated.

What she hadn't known—was that the villa belonged to Nathaniel Fu.

Now, too late to back out.

Celia walked toward the Ghost Orchid. After days of patient care, the ethereal white bloom was finally about to open. She planned to grind its petals into an herbal balm to help Yvonne remove the birthmark on her cheek.

Thinking back, it was probably Yvonne that Nathaniel had asked CC to create the perfume for.

Everything was connecting in strange, unavoidable ways.

It was as if she and Nathaniel Fu were tied together by threads of fate—impossible to untangle.

Just then, her phone rang.It was a call from Zhongshan Hospital.

"Hello, Miss Su? Please come quickly—your grandmother has woken up!"

Grandma's awake?

Celia dropped everything and rushed to the hospital.

In the hospital ward, Celia reached out and gently hugged the frail woman lying in the bed.

"Grandma, you finally woke up... I missed you so much."

Her grandmother slowly opened her eyes, exhaustion written into every wrinkle, but a kind light shone from her gaze. She raised her trembling hand and lovingly stroked Celia's head.

"So it's my little Celia after all..."

In that moment, all Celia's defenses crumbled.She curled up into her grandmother's arms, no longer anyone's stand-in, no longer hiding—just a girl longing for love.

"Celia," her grandmother whispered, "where's your jade pendant? Let me see it…"